Kirk Cousins is expected to start for the Minnesota Vikings against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and you really couldn't have scripted a more fitting place for his first game back in purple.
Three years after tearing his Achilles at Lambeau Field, Cousins is heading back to the same stadium with the same team he appeared to have played his final game for in 2023.
The Vikings brought Cousins back Tuesday in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting the 38-year-old quarterback with Kevin O'Connell and several familiar faces. And somehow, his first assignment is a trip to Green Bay. You can't make this stuff up.
Kirk Cousins gets another chance with the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field
Vikings fans probably remember Oct. 29, 2023, pretty well. Minnesota beat Green Bay 24-10 that afternoon, but nobody was celebrating much after watching Cousins limp off the field with what turned out to be a torn right Achilles.
Before the injury, Cousins was having himself a day.
He completed 23 of his 31 passes for 274 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He finished with a 122.2 passer rating, finding Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson for touchdowns as Minnesota cruised past its biggest rival.
It was also part of a pretty impressive stretch for Cousins.
Through eight games that season, he had already thrown for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns with just five interceptions. The Vikings had won three straight after starting 1-4, and things were finally looking up.
Then came the injury, and everything fell apart.
Minnesota went through Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs, and Nick Mullens before finishing 7-10. Cousins eventually left for Atlanta, and that appeared to be the end of his time with the Vikings.
His six seasons in Minnesota were hardly forgettable, either. Cousins threw for 23,265 yards and 171 touchdowns against 55 interceptions. His best statistical seasons included 4,547 passing yards in 2022 and 35 touchdown passes in 2020, according to his official NFL career statistics.
And now Kirko Chainz is baaaaaack.
Cousins faces a quick turnaround before Vikings-Packers showdown
He won't have much time to settle back into his old routine, with only a handful of days to get reacquainted with O'Connell's offense.
Cousins' starting status isn't quite official yet, though. During his introductory press conference, He couldn't guarantee he'd start against Green Bay, acknowledging that it was still too early in the week to know for sure.
LIVE: QB Kirk Cousins https://t.co/d4WvqjpZjL
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 11, 2026
Fortunately, Cousins hasn't exactly forgotten how to play quarterback.
He threw for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in nine starts with Las Vegas this season. Those are pretty encouraging numbers for a Minnesota offense that desperately needs better production from the position.
Getting Justin Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson back certainly shouldn't hurt, either.
Expecting Cousins to pick up where he left off in 2023 might be asking a little much. He's older, the offensive line is different, and he hasn't had much time to work with his receivers.
But Cousins already knows O'Connell's system, and that's a pretty significant advantage for someone joining a team midseason.
Minnesota also doesn't need him to throw for 350 yards every game. With Brian Flores' defense playing at a high level, simply getting the offense moving consistently would be a major improvement.
The Vikings enter Sunday's showdown at 6-2, while Green Bay sits at 6-3. Minnesota already beat the Packers 39-22 in Week 1, so Cousins has a chance to help complete the season sweep while giving his team another important advantage in the NFC North standings.
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